adjust text size:

Top 20 Tools - Part Two

This class of parts washer certainly isn't for every shop, although the
CTM-1 Stainless Steel Recirculating Hot Water Parts Cleaning System could
definitely find a home in a busy machine shop. So how could we give it
an award? After all, it's just a parts washer. The answer is merit. There
are plenty of competitors that have many of the features of this unit,
but none, it seems, has all of the features of the CTM in one unit. There
are actually three models to choose from-CTM-1, CTM-2 and CTM-3-although
they're differentiated only by the number of washer nozzles (50, 70 and
100, respectively) and the turntable capacity (700 pounds/24-inch, 1000
pounds/30-inch and 2000 pounds/40-inch, respectively). Inside working
height increases from 32 inches in the CTM-1 to 42 inches in the CTM-2
to 54 inches in the CTM-3.

The front doors have a safety interlock that shuts down the pump and
turntable when the doors are opened. The waist-level parts-loading height
reduces strain on the back. The low voltage supplied to the control panel
prevents electrical shock in the event of failure. There's no need to
secure the parts inside the machine, because the CTM does not blast with
high pressure. For low maintenance, the machine has no gaskets or seals
to degrade. The only task the shop has to perform is occasionally dispose
of the cleaning solution. This Waste Water Evaporation procedure begins
with the turn of a key. Next, the solution is heated to boiling and simply
evaporates. Do this overnight and in the morning you just remove the parts
basket (no tools needed), collect the solid waste and properly dispose
of it. Finally, fill the CTM with water and cleaning solution and you're
back in business. The CTM comes with a one-year warranty.

Spark Plug Hole Rethreader by Rethreader Tool

If you've been in this business long enough, you've come across your
fair share of crossthreaded spark plug holes. And traditionally, you've
had several repair options: 1. Remove the cylinder head and tap the hole
from the back side (ouch!). 2. Install an insert (ouch!
again, since that also typically requires head removal). 3. Use one of
several different thread chasers on the market.

Looking to save customers money and ourselves aggravation, we obviously
lean toward option 3 wherever possible. But conventional thread chasers
aren't without their shortcomings. For one thing, they're started in the
damaged threads at the top of the plug hole, which means if you cock them
just a tad, you end up reforming and damaging the good threads at the
bottom. For another thing they're short, which makes them virtually useless
in engines with deep or narrow plug wells. Finally, conventional thread
chasers, due to their out-to-in design philosophy, always allow metal,
carbon and other debris to fall into the combustion chamber-not a place
we'd like them to be!

The Spark Plug Hole Retreader by Retreader Tool takes a radically different
approach to repairing damaged spark plug threads-tapered cutters that
use the good threads at the bottom of the plug hole as a reference to
help guide the tool out through the damaged threads at the top. Using
this thing is a piece of cake. Just insert the tool until the four guides
at the base are flush with the bottom of the plug well. Next, tighten
the 9/16 nut at the top, which automatically expands the cutters into
the "good" hole threads at the bottom. Finally, back out the
tool and admire your handiwork, as the threads clean up in a jiffy, taking
the majority of the shavings and other junk out along for the ride.

Functionality aside, there's a lot of versatility to this product, as
well. The rethreader is segmented, enabling you to add optional extensions
to add length for those especially deep, hard-to-reach plug wells. Interchangeable
cutting heads, meanwhile, allow you to clean up oddball plug threads,
drain plug threads and other blind holes to your heart's content-all with
one simple tool. Impressed? So were we!

For our money, there's nothing more adept at nailing leaks in lube systems,
power steering systems, transmissions and a/c systems than a tracer dye
and good UV lamp. Of course, that's not to say we haven't had a few pet
peeves with this detection method through the years.

Scouting potential leak sources always meant stocking a myriad of different
dye formulations for each system-a real pain in the butt! Luckily, that
problem was resolved a few years ago when the new "all-in-one"
dyes hit the market. Then there are the lamps themselves. Most common
UV lamps run off normal shop current, requiring cumbersome extension cords.
And if you're in a hurry (who isn't these days?), forget it. There's a
lengthy warmup period before the typical lamp is ready to "take a
shine." And geez, are these things awkward, or what? Ever try to
find a small leak under an intake plenum with something in your hand the
size of a small battleship? Good luck!

Thankfully, Tracer Products has changed the rules of the leak-detection
game forever with its revolutionary new Titan UV/Blue TP-8100 lamp. Introduced
late last fall, the TP-8100 is about the size of a flashlight, providing
access into virtually every nook and cranny in the engine bay. And as
if that wasn't enough, there's also a pivoting head on the lamp that allows
up to a 90� swing arc, for those particularly ungodly spaces. Other features
include instant connectivity anywhere via 10-foot leads to the vehicle
battery, a built-in handle magnet for hands-free operation, an "instant-on"
bulb for getting down to business in a hurry and a patented lens filter
that provides up to 30 times more usable light than competitive lamps.
When you get a chance, check out the TP-8100 for yourself. We guarantee
it'll be an "illuminating" experience.

Pro-Swing Ratcheting Wrench by Matco Tools

Show us a tool that makes jobs go quicker and prevents some serious knuckle-busting
for our loyal readers and we'll show you a tool that almost automatically
qualifies for Top 20 consideration. Ratcheting box wrenches obviously
fit the bill. But what makes these newly introduced wrenches from Matco
Tools so much different than others already on the market? Plenty!

First, there's muscle, and lots of it-the beam of this wrench is thick
and forged, providing 25% more torque capability. It's also got the slimmest
head profile we've seen in this tool segment, for easier access into the
tightest work spaces. A 72-tooth pawl allows fastener rotation with just
a 5� swing arc; traditional box ratcheters have an 18-tooth pawl that
requires a 22� arc to get things moving. Finally, there's the friendly
double-box design. At one end of the tool is a conventional box for breaking
the fastener loose. Once that's accomplished, just flip the tool over
and whiz off the nut or bolt with the ratcheting box end. Way cool!

The Pro-Swing comes in a ten-piece metric set ranging from 10 to 19mm,
and in a seven-piece SAE set from 3/8 to 3/4 inch. A seven-piece metric
set should be available from your friendly Matco wagon jobber just about
the time you read this.

System Guard Tamper Evident A/C Sleeves by G&L
Marketing

You can have the best recycler on the market and do meticulous work,
but there's no guarantee that the a/c system you're working on hasn't
been tampered with by an unscrupulous shop or lamebrained do-it-yourselfer.
And that can mean big trouble. In case you're not aware, refrigerant cross
contamination is a major issue in our industry, and probably responsible
for more damaged service equipment than all other factors combined. But
there is a solution, and a simple one at that-these tamper-evident sleeves
from the folks at G&L Marketing.

Here's the deal: After you've completed servicing an a/c system, just
place one sleeve over each service port. Next, hit the things with a heat
gun to shrink 'em nice and tight. Record the serial number of each sleeve
on the work order or the decal provided with the sleeves, then send the
customer on his merry way. When the car comes in for service, say, a year
later, take a quick gander. Sleeves still in place? Go at the system with
confidence; no one's touched it. Sleeves missing? Get out the refrigerant
identifier pronto; someone's been in there.

But there's more value to these little gizmos than just contamination
prevention. For instance, suppose you install a shiny new compressor on
a customer's car. Three months later he's back with a smoked pump. Your
responsibility? Maybe, maybe not. You look at the low-side service port
and notice the missing sleeve. Hmmm. Next you query the customer,
who grudgingly admits to adding more juice to the system to give it a
little more oomph! Of course, you know that sent head pressures through
the roof, which probably took out the compressor. Warranty claim denied!

At about a buck a car, we can't think of another tool or piece of shop
equipment that provides so much intrinsic value for such a small investment.
Can you?

Adjustable Spark Plug Boot Puller by Lisle

We don't have to tell you that engine compartments are getting tighter
and tighter these days. And with these tighter bays comes reduced airflow
and heat-enough heat, it seems, to glue parts together. Take spark plug
boots, for example. Ever try to separate a boot from a plug with 40,000
hard miles? It's a challenge, to be sure.

Of course, there are wire boot pullers out there that do a pretty decent
job, assuming you've got a straight shot at the plug. Unfortunately, that's
often not the case, particularly on transverse V6s. We have a solution,
though, and it comes by way of Lisle's Adjustable Spark Plug Boot Puller
(Part No. 51750).

The real secret to this puller is its unique jaw arrangement, which is
capable of providing five different adjustment settings, from 90� right
to 90� left of the handle centerline. To change settings, just grab the
lower handle while yanking downward on the lower jaw. Each click gets
you about a 45� change in position, which results in an multitude of attack
angles to the plug. Ingenious? Absolutely!

Fuel Tank Siphoning Hose by Kent-Moore

Carmakers are continually coming up with new technologies in an effort
to meet government-mandated standards. A perfect example is the On-Board
Refueling Vapor Recovery (ORVR) system. ORVR, which is designed to ensure
that fuel vapors aren't released into the atmosphere during refueling,
began showing up in a large number of vehicles during the 1998 model year.

One key part of the system is a small check valve at the bottom of the
fill neck designed to prevent fuel spitback during the refueling process.
Problem is, this little valve also makes it impossible to siphon fuel
from the tank, making it a major service issue for fuel pump replacements
and underbody work requiring tank removal.

Techs unfamiliar with ORVR typically try to use a conventional siphon
hose to drain fuel from the tank. At first, the hose appears to go in,
then it hits the proverbial wall. Things just go downhill from there when
they find that the check valve has not only swallowed the hose, but won't
give it up. Then they're stuck dropping the tank (with all its contents)
and performing major surgery in a bid to free up the hose.

Even savvy shops can be bitten by an ORVR system-sometimes with disastrous
consequences. One such shop we heard about, knowing full well the problems
that can be wrought by the check valve, decided to drop a partially filled
tank in an effort to get at a fuel pump. When they removed the connector
hose from the tank, fuel spewed all over the place, including right onto
a droplight that was inadvertently left on the floor underneath. Yikes!

There is a safer solution, and it comes by way of Kent-Moore. Working
closely with GM service engineers, the folks at K-M developed the J-42960
Fuel Tank Siphoning Hose. Unlike conventional siphons, this little number
has the unique ability to snake through most ORVR check valves, get the
fuel out, then make a quick escape that would make Houdini proud. Need
we say more? This was a Top 20 natural.

Fast-Spec Electronic Information System by Thexton
Manufacturing

Everyone knows that information is the key to servicing today's cars.
And there are plenty of places to grab it-OE and aftermarket service manuals,
CD-ROM-based repair systems, the Internet. Now you can add one more variant-the
Fast-Spec Electronic Information System from Thexton Manufacturing.

Let's make one thing clear first: This little dynamo isn't designed to
supplant the "how to" information provided by the methods above.
What it can do is give you the ability to retrieve specs at lightning-fast
speed, with just a few button pushes on a tool that tucks quite nicely
in the palm of your hand.

Navigating Fast-Spec is child's play. Just go to the main menu and select
the year, make and model vehicle you're working on. From there, you're
given three catagory choices-underhood, undercar and maintenance. Use
the up/down arrows to make your selection, press enter and all the specs
you'll ever need are at your disposal. Need cylinder head torque specs
on a 1991 4.6-liter Lincoln Town Car? No problem, Fast-Spec delivers it.
How's about ignition coil resistance specs for an '87 Caprice? Yup, they're
there, too! What about the refrigerant capacity on a '98 Acura 3.2TL?
Absolutely. This thing serves up everything but breakfast in bed!

Fast-Spec can display eight lines of information up to 40 characters
wide on its 13/8x27/8-inch LCD. It comes with a one-year warranty, is
powered by two standard AA batteries that provide up to a year's service
life and uses easily replaceable memory chips, defying tool obsolescence.

Asian '99 ScanTest Software by Vetronix

For years, when it came to Asian scanner capabilities, independent technicians
were always behind the eight ball compared to their dealership brethren.
That changed big time last November when the folks at Vetronix introduced
their revolutionary Asian '99 ScanTest Software at the AAIW show in Las
Vegas. What's the big deal about ScanTest? For the first time ever, independents
now have access to the same OE-level diagnostic information as dealership
personnel for seven of the most popular Asian makes in this country-Acura,
Honda, Isuzu, Kia, Lexus, Suzuki and Toyota. No more sending your customers
down the street to the dealer or begging a dealership buddy to borrow
his scanner.

Included in the ScanTest OE mix are full function bi-directional controls
of key actuators; the capability to switch ECU operating modes, access
to engine, transmission, airbag, antilock brake, air suspension, cruise
control and a/c systems (where applicable); plus specific tests, such
as injector power balance and vehicle height simulation (on selected models).
Try that with your scanner!

But wait, there's more! ScanTest also provides updated information for
Chrysler imports, Daihatsu, Hyundai, Infiniti, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan
and Subaru, with coverage back to the 1983 model year. Together, that
makes 15 vehicle lines covered with one software package, giving you a
broad spectrum of repair capability unmatched in the industry. So what
do we think about the Asian '99 ScanTest Software? Three little words:
It's about time!

Smoghouse A.T.A.C. Training Software by Tools for
Education

This is the second consecutive year that Tools for Education has garnered
a Top 20 Award, and like its predecessor, A.T.A.C. software represents
the very best that interactive CD training offers.

What is A.T.A.C.? It's an acronym for Amperage, Theory, Analysis and
Case studies, and it represents more than 2000 hours of time invested
by its developer in providing techs with a deeper understanding of current
theory, waveforms and diagnostic methods.

Once the CD boots up, the student begins by clicking on Door No. 1, which
represents the theory portion of the program. Here, he's given an in-depth
explanation of the benefits of current-over-time waveforms, characteristics
of patterns, the various methods used to retrieve waveforms and how to
best dissect a waveform to achieve a fix. Each section ends with a little
quiz, and the student is always free to go back if things start getting
a little hazy.

Door No. 2 gets you to the analysis portion of A.T.A.C. Here the student
uses the knowledge gained from the theory section and applies it to a
virtual repair shop with five distinct driveability problems. Analysis
always begins with a review of the work order (just like a real shop).
Once the student has an idea of the symptoms, he's then directed to a
generic lab scope and low-amp probe for further analysis of fuel pump,
ignition or injector circuit troubles. A nice touch is the information
system within the analysis module, which provides actual specs and characteristics
of the waveform under review.

Behind Door No. 3 is the case studies module. Here the student is provided
with a database of over 175 waveforms for review. There's also pertinent
information regarding each waveform, such as optimum voltage (amperage)
and time base settings, as well as the actual test location and the hookup
used to snare it. The waveforms themselves, by the way, are vector-based
images garnered from actual vehicles, giving the program a lot of real-world
flair.

There's a lot of talk in our business about the problems brought about
by lack of adequate training. Well, if more people thought along the lines
of the folks at Tools for Education, we suspect that's one less problem
we'd all have to worry about!